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Eight Home Games Highlight 2002 Oregon Football Schedule

EUGENE - The University of Oregon will christen an expanded Autzen Stadium with an eight-game 2002 home football schedule featuring the first Eugene appearance ever by a Southeastern Conference opponent, one of the top 2001 surprises in the country and four Pacific-10 Conference stalwarts, headed by the return of interstate rival University of Washington.

The Ducks will undertake a 12-game schedule in 2002, beginning with an Aug. 31 date against Mississippi State kicking off four straight non-conference home games against Fresno State (Sept. 7), Idaho (Sept. 14) and Portland State (Sept. 21). Oregon then opens Pac-10 play two weeks later, traveling to Arizona (Oct. 5) and UCLA (Oct. 12), before returning home to host Arizona State (Oct. 19), USC (Oct. 26) and Stanford (Nov. 2).

Returning from a third straight trip to Washington State (Nov. 9), the Ducks host Washington (Nov. 16) following a one-year hiatus before closing the regular season Nov. 23 at Oregon State.

'We are thrilled to offer a schedule that allows our fans to enjoy an unprecedented eight home games in a newly expanded and renovated Autzen Stadium,' said Oregon Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Bill Moos. 'A slate featuring strong Pac-10 competition will be blended with several non-conference foes that should attract national attention.'

Oregon's 12 future opponents have combined to post a 68-52 record (57%) so far this year, with six of the eight foes visiting Eugene next year still vying for post-season play.

It will mark the first time Mississippi State and Oregon have met on the football field and the Ducks' first test against a SEC opponent since 1977, while the Ducks and Portland State will meet for the first time since 1994. It also will signify the fifth consecutive year that Oregon will face a major intersectional opponent, with each of the previous four attracting interest from national television networks.

The Ducks are scheduled to return to Starkville, Miss., Aug. 30, 2003, to complete the home-and-home series against the Bulldogs.

In addition, Moos added that Oregon had reached agreement for a home-and-home football series against Purdue, with the Ducks scheduled to travel to West Lafayette, Ind., in 2008 and the Boilermakers playing in Eugene in 2009. Also the university has reached a verbal agreement to resume a two-game series with Colorado in 2012 and 2013, as well as is engaged in conversations to play Army in 2009 and 2010.

Oregon will begin construction immediately following its Dec. 1 game with Oregon State to expand the seating capacity at Autzen Stadium from 41,698 to approximately 53,800 seats in time for the start of the 2002 season.